Bed spring gauge



All@ 24, 1943- H. w. STRNBERG ET Al. 2,327,829

BED SPRING GAUGE Filed oct. 24, 1959 2 sheets-sheet 1 n f I l I JLII--II ff l 50 l l l 6 z5 i I I l l l l l l l ,il l j 4'/ rvo (40 /0 Aug. 24, 1943s H. W. STERNBERG ET BED SPRING GAUGE Filed Oct. 24, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTO RN EY Patented Aug. 24, 1943 man I Huot W. Sternberg,

Westport, and Rudolph O.

Smith, Milford, Conn., assignors to The Owen Silent Spring Company, Inc., Bridgeport, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application October 24, 1939, Serial: No. 300,992

4 claims; (cm3-51) This invention relates to a means employed in the manufacture of custom built cushion springs, more particularly bed springs.

In the ordinary commercial bed spring all of the springs are ofv the same stiffness except the springs along the edges which are frequently harder. It has been proposedto employ springs of different stiffness and/or height for the com- I fort of the average user Without attempting custom building for the individual user. It has also been proposed to build bed springs with means for relatively Vraising and lowering the support of at least certain of the springs and the head and foot ends of the bed spring. None of the prior methods and means provide individualized custom built bed springs. Insofar as is known, no attempt has been made to build. a bed spring for a double bed in which the springs n, the sides of the center of the bed spring are adjusted or selectedtosuit the users. 1

An object of this invention is the provision of means for determining the stiffness of springs to be used in different sections of a bed spring or the like to provide for correct sleeping posture vand individual comfort.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings, in which- I Fig. 1 is a top plan view of an apparatus which may be employed to carry out the method ofthis invention; and on which is supported a--mattress partly broken away;

Fig. 2 is anend view of the upwardly in Figfl I l Fig.l 3 is a vertical crosssection on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of the of Fig. 3;

Fis. 5 is a horizontal section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4; and p y Fig. 6 is a vertical longitudinal section taken apparatus lookingr left hand end on the line S-S `of Fig. 1.

For the purpose of disclosure the drawings show a preferred form of bed spring gauge apparatus of this invention. This apparatus includes a rectangular frame I0 which may consist of a continuous L-shaped bar supported above the door by means of legsII which may be of any suitable construction and as shown each leg may be formed from strip material of rectangular cross section bent into the form of a U with the cross element of the U resting on the iioor and extending diagonally across the corner ofthe frame and with the legs twisted and riveted or otherwise secured to the vertically extending liange of the L-shaped frame member. This apparatus includes a large number of springs preferably of the same number and located in the same positions'as the springs of the bed spring to be constructed in accordance with the adjustment made on this apparatus. The row of springs i2 at the ends of the apparatus are supported directly on the frame Ii) as indicated in Figs. 1 and 6 as it is not necessary to provide for adjustment of the springs in this position nor is it necessary to provide for adjustment of the row of springs I3 along the side of the apparatus, as

the corresponding springs in the bed spring to be constructed'areconnected to upper and `lower frame members and are vpreferably of the same stiffness. y.

The interiorly located springs generally designated as I4 are supported on and secured to bars I6 which may be of rectangular cross section and disposed as shown, connected by toggle links I1 and I8 to bars vI9 whichmay be rectangular in cross section and vdisposed as shown, the ends of which may beptwisted into a horizontal plane and bent upwardly andl outwardly as indicated at 2Q to rest on top of the lowercframe Il) to which they may be secured by a nut-and bolt Ias indicated at -2I. I c

' A pin 22 connecting the toggle links il and I8 together, passes through an interposedioperating bar 23 lto whichis pivotally connected a link 2li pivotally connected-to a nutv 25 in which is threaded an adjusting boltZt supported in a generally L-shaped bracket 28 the horizontal portion of which is secured to the frame I0 preferably by the nut and bolt 2l which secures the bar IE! to the frame Ii). The lower end of the bracket 28 is braced by means of a bar 29 connected thereto Iand to the bar I9 as indicated. The adjusting bolt 26 on each side of the bracket 28 is provided with a collar 3i) and itsouter end is fashioned as indicated at 3I to cooperate with an adjusting crank 32 by means of which the toggle operating bar 23 may be moved forward and rearward to open and close the toggle links '|1., i8 to raise'and lower the supporting bar I B by means of which all the lower ends of the springs in a transverse row, except those at the sides of the apparatus, may be raised or lowered to increase or decrease their compression. The bar I9 is provided with a vertically extending bar 33 bearing transverse bands of green, red, white andvblue as indicated onthe drawings which cooperate with a pointer 34 carried by the bar? l5, the purindication marks preferably colored pose of which Will be more clearly explained later Supported on the upper ends of the springs I2 and I3 is a frame member 4i] which may also be of L-shape in cross section disposed as shown. Connected to the sides and ends of this frame member are springs lil to which are connected the ends of thin flexible strips 42 which extend diagonally of the apparatus and are connected by disks 43 overlying the interior springs I4. This provides a flexible support for `a mattress 45 on which the customer reclines as the springs of the apparatus are adjusted. The springs may be interconnected by coiled springs 45 as disclosed in Figs. 3, 4 and 6. For the purpose of normally holding the upper ends of the springs in the same plane and for preventing these ends from moving upwardly as the lower ends thereof are raised by the adjusting devices, means in the form of a chain 48 may connect each disk 43 to the associated bar `l 9.

A bail shaped gauge 50 is pvoted` tol the end members of the frame I0= with its handle or cross rodl 51l disposed' lengthwise of' and on top of the mattress.

In the use of the apparatus the customer reclines'on the mattress inthe usual position in which he is accustomed to sleep. The various adjusting rods 26 are operated to raise and lower ends of the springs of the various transverse rows in succession to aline the body center line horizontally and the bar l of the bail may be used asa gauge to `facilitate this adjustment. After this hasubeen done the rows of springs under the mattress near the head and foot ends of the apparatus are adjusted until the head and legs of the customer are brought into alinement with the body of the customer, the bail for this purposebeing raised centrally of the body to facilitate this adjustment.

After this has been done the customer is asked as to which of the springs should be adjusted to provide for greater comfort.V Such adjustment is made in accordanceiwith the comfort desired by the customer, after which lif the bed spring tobe constructed is for a double bed the user of the other side of the bed will be asked to recline on the mattress and an adjustment will be madel for that side of the bed' spring.

They gauge marks on the indicator'bar 33 before referred to are read after each complete adjustment has been made and a record is made thereof and theY bed spring is builtk accordingly. If the green band is opposite any pointer'll, it will indicate that the springs in the corresponding section of the bed spring should be oi"` the stiffness indicated by the pointer. If the red band is opposite any pointer, it will indicate that a less stiff spring should be used in the corresponding section of' the bed spring, etc. and to 'facilitate `carrying out this invention a supply of green, red,

white and blue springs of corresponding stiffness or gauge-will be kept in stock'.

It is to be noted that the apparatus disclosed is' not a bed spring but a separate apparatus and that an individualized bed lspring may be built merely bythe use of springs of the same color as that indicated by the pointer after the apparatus has been adjusted. The encircling springs of the bed spring will be made of standard gauge and stiffness.

It is obvious that this invention is applicable tothe manufacture of various types of cushioningdevices such as mattress, seat and back cushions, etc. and that the apparatus illustrated for purposes of disclosure may be used to gauge the springs for seats, seat cushions as well as mattresses and bed-springs, etc. The term bedspring as used in certain of the claims is not used in a limiting sense but is intended to cover the full range of equivalents. It is obvious that the inventionvmay be carried out by other means and that other forms of resilient means and adjusting and indicating means could be used.

While but one form of apparatus has been disclosed for carrying out one step in the method of constructing a bed-spring to fit the individual customer, it is to be understood that the apparatus disclosed may be modified and that we reserve the right 'to such changes in the means employed as fall within the principles of this l invention and the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an apparatus of the character described, comprising a frame, a series of springs arranged in transverse rows, a movable support for the lower ends of eachrow of springs, a toggle connection between said support and said frame, means for opening andy closing said toggle to raise and lower the'support for said springs, and means bearing upon the upper ends of the .springs and connected to' the frame for preventing upward movement of the upper ends of said springs as the lower ends are'rai'sed.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, comprising a frame, a series of springs arranged in transverse rows, a movablesupport for the lower ends of each row of springs', a toggle connectio'n between said support and said frame,

means for opening and closing said toggle to' raise and lower the support for said springs, and means bearing upon Y the vupper ends of' the springs and connected to the frame for preventing upward movement of the upper ends of said ysprings as the lower ends -are raised, said means for dpening and' closing said toggles comprising a bar connected tothe joints of said toggles, a threaded member pivotally connected to said bar, a second threaded member cooperating with said first threaded member anda bracket on the frame in which said second threaded member is supported for rotation andY against -longitudinal movement. i

3. In an apparatusof the character described,v

.comprising Ia frame, a series of springs arranged inv transverse rows, a movable support for the r-lower ends of each row of springs, and a toggle connection between said support and said frame,

means for opening and closing said toggle to raise and lower the support for said springs, means bearing upon the upper ends of the springs and connected to the frame for preventing upward movement of the upper ends of the springs v as the lower ends are raised, said means for opening and closing said toggles comprising a bar connected to the joints of said toggles, a threaded member pivotally connected to saidy bar, a

second threaded member cooperating with said first threaded member and a bracket on the framein which said second threaded member is supported for rotation and against longitudinal Ymovement, an indicating bar connected to the frame and projecting upwardly along the side-of the support for the springs, and means on rsaid support and said indicating bar indicating the compression `of the springs and the stiflness of the springs to be located in a corresponding section ofthe bed spring. j

4. In an apparatus for determining the stiiy ness of springs required in different sections ofl theframe, means for varying the supporting linkage adjustment for eachv row of springs to raiseand lower the support for the springs, and

means bearing on the upper ends of the springs. `and connected to the frame for preventing up- Ward movement of the upper ends of lsaid springs as the lower ends are raised, and means for indicating said stiffness.

HUOT W. STERNBERG. RUDOLPH O. SMITH. 

